One of the final players to make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster less than four months ago, All-Star pitcher John Means enjoyed one of baseball’s biggest stages as an observer Tuesday in Cleveland.
Unquestionably the greatest surprise in a difficult season for last-place Baltimore, Means did not pitch in the American League’s 4-3 victory over the National League. When AL manager Alex Cora began using his All-Star relievers in the sixth inning, it became apparent Means would not pitch unless the exhibition had gone to extra innings. The 26-year-old matched a season high with seven strong innings in his last start on July 3, which left him rested for a potential appearance in the All-Star Game.
Cleveland pitcher Shane Bieber was named the game’s Most Valuable Player with three strikeouts in a perfect fifth inning. The AL won its seventh straight All-Star Game and 25th of the last 32 against the Senior Circuit.
Means was one of three active AL pitchers who didn’t appear in the All-Star Game, joining Houston hurlers Gerrit Cole and Ryan Pressly. Four injury replacements named to the AL roster — Bieber, Minnesota’s Jose Berriors, Oakland’s Liam Hendriks, and New York’s Masahiro Tanaka — all pitched in the game.
Reaction to Means’ selection to the 90th Midsummer Classic was unfortunately accompanied by much disappointment over slugger Trey Mancini being left off the AL roster, but the rookie lefty leads all Orioles in wins above replacement, according to both Baseball Reference (3.5) and FanGraphs (1.9). His 2.50 ERA is sixth in the majors among pitchers completing at least 80 innings while FanGraphs ranks Means eighth in its changeup pitch value metric, an indication of how effective his best pitch has been.
In 14 starts and four relief appearances spanning 82 2/3 innings, Means is 7-4 with a 1.077 WHIP, 7.5 strikeouts and 2.4 walks per nine innings, and nine home runs allowed.
Wells, McCoy receive June minor league honors
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The Orioles announced left-handed pitcher Alex Wells and shortstop Mason McCoy — both of Double-A Bowie — as their minor league players of the month for June.
Wells, 22, was 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 32 innings over five starts. The Australian southpaw struck out 21 and walked seven while allowing 27 hits and just one home run. The organization’s pitcher of the year in 2017 and ranked as the Orioles’ 25th-best prospect by MLB.com, Wells is 7-1 with a 1.92 ERA with 62 strikeouts and 18 walks in 79 2/3 innings this season and will represent the Baysox in the Eastern League All-Star Game. Though not as highly regarded as a prospect because of underwhelming fastball velocity, Wells possesses an above-average changeup and good control to keep hitters off balance.
A 2017 sixth-round pick out of the University of Iowa, McCoy has enjoyed a breakout season that started with Single-A Frederick and has continued with the Baysox. The 24-year-old batted .313 with seven extra-base hits, 11 walks, and a .763 on-base plus slugging percentage in June. After posting an impressive .925 OPS in 27 games for the Keys, McCoy has continued to thrive at Bowie with a .319 average, 15 extra-base hits, 16 runs batted in, 25 walks, and an .808 OPS in 56 games. He was also named to Wednesday’s Eastern League All-Star Game and is the organization’s No. 30 prospect, according to MLB.com.
Brooks added to 25-man roster
After being selected off waivers from Oakland last weekend, right-handed pitcher Aaron Brooks was placed on the 25-man roster Tuesday afternoon.
The 29-year-old pitched to a 5.01 ERA while allowing 12 home runs, striking out 43, and walking 14 in 50 1/3 innings for the Athletics in the first half of the season. Brooks sports a career 6.65 ERA in 111 innings over parts of four major league seasons.
The Orioles also announced right-hander Josh Lucas cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Right-hander David Hess was optioned to the Tides following Sunday’s loss at Toronto to make room on the 25-man roster for Brooks.
